Report: Activision Buys Out Major League Gaming

According to a report from eSports Observer, Activision has entered into an agreement to purchase a majority of North American eSports organisation Major League Gaming's assets for a sum of $US46 ($63) million.

According to eSports Observer's report the sale was authorised by Major League Gaming's board of directors on December 21, with a letter informing stockholders of the decision distributed the following day.

An excerpt from the letter reportedly obtained by eSports Observer indicates that $US31 ($42) of the $US46 ($63) million was paid by Activision via a combination of cash and the assumption of "certain liabilities," meaning Activision assumed some of the MLG corporation's crippling debt. The additional $US15 ($21) million is being held in escrow pending any indemnification claims that may arise from the sale.

The reported letter also indicates that the proceeds from the sale will not be enough to cover stock liquidation for all MLG shareholders, with only certain tiers of shareholders receiving benefits from the purchase. As eSports Observer reports, that makes for some unhappy stock owners.

Stockholders not in these categories are largely meeting the decision in disbelief. Some speculate that the majority of the sale will go towards paying off MLG's debts, leaving little to go around for the remaining stockholders. MLG has filed for multiple debt financing rounds this year alone, for a sum of over $US6 ($8) million. "I got fucked on stock," said an affected stockholder, who wanted to remain anonymous.

It is also being reported that Major League Gaming co-founder and CEO Sundance DiGiovanni has been removed, replaced by former CFO Greg Chisholm.

Neither side of the reported agreement has been forthcoming with confirmation so far, not to surprising considering the winter holiday break is only just now winding down. We'll update should we hear anything from either side.

Halo is running its own thing now, so I guess the impact on them is going to be lessened.

Listening to some of the talking heads discuss the acquisition, they didn't give the impression that it'd be any great loss for eSports as MLG have been on the slide for quite a while. They seemed to think that Acti would have only been buying it for the broadcast tech, and to boost it gives their own eSports activities.

I think there'd still be something to owning the MLG name though... even if they're not doing great business anymore, they've got a great portion of the mindshare. MLG is the only eSports league I'd be able to name, and I doubt I'd be the only one...

Triple AAA games nailing the brief. Indie games surprising people out of nowhere, and expansions and patches that completely turn a game around. It's been a good year for games - now it's time for you to vote for your favourite.